BBC’s Zeinab Badawi recently sat down with Seychelles president James Michel to discuss the issue of piracy which extends into the Indian Ocean. Michel said that although Seychelles is doing its part to eradicate piracy, the crime is part of a bigger issue that must be dealt with in Somalia.

“This is what Seychelles has been doing. We’ve been fighting the surge since 2009,” Michel said in response to Badawi’s inquiry about the island’s efforts. “We catch them, we prosecute them, we try them and now we have signed an agreement with Somaliland to be able to transport the pirates back in their prisons there.”

Eventually, Somali terrorist group Al-Shabaab will need to be part of the eradication process, Michel added. However, now is a bit early.

“I think what we have to realize is that the problem of Somalia is the main issue at stake. Piracy is a symptom of the problem and the problem has to be tackled on land itself in Somalia,” he said.